Ten thousand pounds for a new kitchen, £750 on a stereo. Just a couple of the things your MP can claim at the taxpayers expense to kit out a second home. Despite calls for the controversial system to go, they've voted to keep it. Our politics reporter Rajini Vaidyanathan explains more about the issue of MPs expenses.

We've had a run of stories about the way MPs spend public money.

There was the one who paid his son to do very little work, the other who paid more than £1,000 on window cleaning.

All this led to a review into the way their expenses are handled.

Because Parliament's in London MPs need a base near Westminster as well as in their constituency.

So, MPs with seats outside London get an allowance of up to £24,000 a year to fund a second home.

As well as getting rent, bills and food taken care of MPs are allowed to claim for home furnishings.

John Lewis list items

New kitchen - £10,000

Three-piece suite - £2,000

Television - £750

Air conditioning unit - £299.99

Lamp - £200

The guide to what they can spend kitting it out is known as the "John Lewis list".

It's called that because prices from the store are used as a guide.

It sets out the maximums MPs can claim on certain household goods to kit out their second homes.

When the list became public it sparked much criticism.

The report from the parliamentary committee looking into expenses even suggested that one option would be to scrap it.

But MPs have voted to keep the list.

The vast majority of those who wanted it to stay were Labour MPs, including several Ministers.

Gordon Brown didn't make it to the vote but said he's disappointed with the outcome.

Those backing a change say that keeping the list will damage people's trust in politicians.

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